Check-row corn-planter



(N0 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

- N. O. STARKS.

CHECK ROW CCRN PLANTBR. No. 437,633. Patented Sept. 30, 1890.

WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NILS O. STARKS, OF MADISON, WISCONSIN.

CHECK-ROW CORN-PLANTE R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 437,633, datedSeptember 30, 1890. Application filed May 6, 1890. Serial No.- 350,7'70.(No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, NILs O. STARKS, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Madison, in the county of Dane and State of Wisconsin,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Check-Row Corn-Planters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has relation to improvements in check-row corn-planters,and more particularly in certain improvements upon the checkrowerattachment used in connection with the corn-planter described in LettersPatent of the United States issued to me under date of May 28, 1889, andnumbered 404,318.

Heretofore in check-row corn-planters it has been found difficult toprovide a construction whereby the knotted wire is thrown out ofengagement with the slotted lever or fork for the purpose of avoidingthe necessity of the driver alighting from the machine at the end of therow until after the said machine is turned.

' No. 404,318, showing my attachment applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a planView of the checkrower detached from the machine, showing in full linesthe forward sheave or roller occupying its normal position, and indotted lines the same part occupying a perpendicular position. Fig. 3 isa cross-sectional View on the line a; 00, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detailView; and Fig. 5 is a cross-section on the line y y, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is adetail View of the device for dotting the knotted cord, showing the sameopen.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the severalviews.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A indicates the frame or bodyof a corn-planter embodying my improvement, and B the seed receptacle orhopper thereof. The cross-beam G of this frame has projecting rearwardlytherefrom a bracket D, which, together with a similar bracket upon theopposite side, (not shown in the drawings) afford bearings for atransverse shaft E. This transverse shaft is also provided with endbearings F, which form means of connection with the checkrower, as willhereinafter more fully appear.

The letter Gr indicates the frame of the check-rower attachment, saidframe consisting of three pieces or arms G, G and G formed and connectedin the manner clearly indicated in the detail view of the drawings. Thearm G is provided with a series of boltholes, forming means forattachment to the seed-hopper, while its rear end is bent into angularform, as indicated at g. The arm G2 at its upper rear end has extendingtherefrom a lateral bolt H, upon which is mounted a roller or sheave I.This arm G from its upper rear end is inclined downwardly to the point 9and from thence it is inclined upwardly, the extreme upper end of thislatter portion being bent intoangular form, as indicated at 9 The arm G3has journaled between its upper rear end and the rear portion of thepiece G2 a roller or sheave J, said roller being mounted upon atransverse shaft K. This arm G is then continued downwardly to the pointg, from where it extends upwardly, the extreme upper end terminating ina bend at right angles, designated by the letter g and corresponding tothe bend in the arm G Between these two corresponding ends of the armsis passed a shaft or bolt L, upon which is loosely mounted a bifurcatedbracket M, said bracket carrying a roller N. The lower arm of thebifurcated portion is also provided with a downwardly-projecting lug m.

Slightly to the .rear of the bracket just referred to is a transverseshaft 0, passing through and between the arms G2 and G and connectingthe end of arm G therewith. Upon this shaft is loosely mounted an arm orpawl P, provided upon its upper end with a perforation p, and at itslower side with a forwardly-projecting lug p, which is adapted to bearagainst the downwardly-projecting lug m of the bracket and force thelatter from its normal horizontal position to a'perpendicular position.This is effected through the medium of a cord Q or equivalent secured atone end to the perforation p of the arm and extending rearwardly to themain frame of the device.

It will also be seen that the pawl P is provided at its upper end with ashoulder or lug 11 which is adapted to engage the raised rim m of thebracket, and thus lock said bracket in its horizontal position.

Slightly to the rear of shaft is still another shaft R, which isfree toturn in its bearings in the two arms, and has mountedthereon a sleeve S,which has extending upwardly therefrom a bifurcated or forked lever T,while its inner end is formed into a crank U, said crank having mountedthereon a serrated arm V, provided upon its rear end with a perforation'0.

The letter W indicates an arm, which is formed at its rear end into alink to, adapted to be secured to the end bearing I of the rock-shaft,while its forward end is formed into an elongated slot w, having theface thereof, which is contiguous to the serrated arm V, also providedwith serrations, which mesh with those of the adjacent arm. The

' two arms are secured togetherby means of a arm W.

bolt X, which passes through the perforation of arm V and through theelongated slot of It will thus be seen that the leverage of the latterarm may be readily adjusted simplybyloosening the nut which retains thebolt rigid and moving arm WV either forward or rearward, as needs be.

The usual knotted wire or rope which is stretched across the field to beplanted first engages the forward roller or sheave N, then passesbetween the forked ends of the lever T, and then finally passes betweenthe rear rollers I and J. When the knot upon the wire or rope engagesthe forked lever, it will drawit rearward, aswill be readily understood.

The motion thus imparted to the forked lever by the knotted wire or ropewill be transmitted to the rock-shaft through the medium of themechanism already described, and when my check-rowing device is used inconnection with a corn-planter similar to that described by me inLetters Patent No. 404,318, before mentioned, it will operate theseed-slide and other parts, as therein set forth.

A spring X, having one end secured to the end bearing F of therock-shaft E and the other end secured to a bracket A, projecting fromthe seed-hopper, serves to return said shaft to its normal positionafter having been partly rotated by the knotted Wire or rope.

While I have described my check-rowing device as particularly applicableto cornplanters of the kind described by me in Letters Patent No.404,318, still I do not wish to be understood as confining myself tothat adaptation, as it is obvious that it can be em- L ployed inconnection with any corn-planter or like implement using a rock-shaftsubstantially similar to that shown herein.

The cord secured to the upper perforation of arm P is extendedrearwardly, as previously stated, to the foot-lever for pressing thefurrow-openers of the planter into the ground. When the end of a row hasbeen reached, the runner-frame of the planters is raised out of theground by a hand-lever, and the arm Pis pulled back (one of said arms,as is of course understood, being on each side of the machine andoperated in the same way) until a lateral stop 19 thereof engages theedge of arm G the arm P, it may be here stated, being provided with twoof the lateral lugs, one for limiting its rear movements and the .otherfor limiting its forward movement.

After the arm is pulled back, as just described, the strings are securedtightly. This will throw the wire out of the fork as the bracket M, bythe backward movement of the arm, is forced from its horizontal positionto a perpendicular. In this manner the necessity of the driver alightingfrom the machine at the ends of the rows is avoided until after he hasturned the same around.

From the foregoing-description the operation, construction, andadvantages of my invention will be readily understood without requiringany further description.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is-

1. In a check-row corn-planter, the combination, with a main frame, of asupplemental frame secured thereto, an end shaft mounted thereon, abifurcated bracket upon said shaft turning loosely thereon and carryingin its bifurcated portion a roller or sheave, alooselyarm or pawlprovided with a downwardly and forwardly extending lug adapted to engagea projection upon the bifurcated bracket, and a cord secured to theupper end of the arm or pawl for operating the same, substantially asset forth.

2. In a check-row corn-planter, the combination, with a main frame, of asupplemental frame secured thereto, an end shaft having bearingstherein, a bifurcated bracket upon said shaft turning loosely thereon,provided with a downwardly-projecting lug and carrying in its bifurcatedportion a roller or sheave, a loosely-mounted shaft to the rear of theforward shaft, said shaft carrying a forked lover or arm, a knotted wirepassing over the roller or sheave and through the bifurcated lever, arigid shaft intermediate the forward and rear shafts, an arm or pawlloosely mounted thereon, said arm or pawl provided with a lug havingformed integrally therewith stops to engage one of the arms forming theno I supplemental frameso as to limit the forward and rearward movementof the arm or paw], and a cord secured to the upper end of said arm orpawl, substantially as set'forth.

3. In a check-row corn-planter, the combination of a main frame, of aninner arm secured thereto at an incline, the rear end of said arm beingbent into rectangular form and the forward end bent at right angles, acentral arm having itsupper rear end provided with a lateral bolt uponwhich is mounted a roller or sheave, said arm being inclined from thispoint downwardly and then upwardly, the forward end being bent at rightangles, an outer arm inclined downwardly from its rear end and thenupwardly, terminating at its forward end in an angular bend, atransverse bolt passing through the rear end of this arm and through thecentral and inner arms, a roller or sheave mounted thereon, alongitudinal rigid shaft having bearings in the angular forward ends ofthe outer and central arms, a loosely-mounted bifurcated bracket uponsaid shaft, said bracket carrying a roller or sheave, a rear shafthaving bearings in the outer and central arms, a sleeve turning looselyupon said shaft and carrying a bifurcated or forked lever, a shaftintermediate the forward and rear shafts and connecting the outer andcentral arms with the forward angular end of the inner arm, an arm orpawl loosely mounted thereon and adapted to engage the bifurcatedbracket, a cord for operating said arm or pawl, and a knotted wirepassing over the forward roller and between the rear rollers or sheaves,substantially as set forth.

4. In a check-row corn-planter, the combination of a main frame, atransverse shaft having bearings therein, said shaft being also providedwith suitable end bearings, a supplemental frame secured to the mainframe, said frame having mounted therein rear rollers or sheaves, ashaft having bearings in the forward portion of the supplemental frame,a bifurcated bracket mounted loosely upon said shaft and carrying aroller or sheave, a rear shaft having bearings in the supplementalframe, a sleeve mounted loosely thereon and provided with a forked orbifurcated lever and with an endcrank, an arm secured to said crankprovided with an end perforation and with an inner serrated face, an armhaving its rear end formed into a link adapted to engage the bearing ofthe rock-shaft and having its forward end provided with an elongatedslot and its inner face serrated, a pin or bolt for securing the twoarms adjustably together, a knotted wire passing over the forward rollerof the bifurcated bracket, through the bifurcated or forked lever, andbetween the rear rollers, and means for throwing the forward bracketfrom its normal horizontal position to a perpendicular position,substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my ownI have hereunto affixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

NILS O. STARKS.

Witnesses:

J. H. NICHOLS, A. E. PROUDFIT.

